The Wrath of Starclan
by FF Insomnia
Summary: When Windclan is driven from their territory Starclan sends a sign to the other clans to bring them back. But what happens when the clans ignore this message? Possible spoilers, would recommend you have read all of the first series before reading this.
1. Prologue

**Hey, thanks for checking out my story! I've been meaning to do a story for the Warriors section, but up until now I could think of no ideas. I finally thought of one, though I'm not sure if it's been done before.**

**Either way, I hope you like this fic. I'm not going to take the time to make a list of cats like I've noticed some people doing, partly because I'm lazy and partly because I like introducing new characters randomly. **

**Just know that this is set in the old territory, with Fireheart deputy and Bluestar leader. Even though I am fairly caught up with the recent storyline, I prefer this for writing a fic. You may notice that some of the characters are still alive who would normally be dead. This is because I am not going to take the time to sync it up with the books. I've forgotten most of what happens in them anyway. **

**Please leave reviews, as it encourages me to write more often!**

"But we can't leave the territory! Our place is here, with the other clans!" Cried one of the queens. Her fur was pure white and her green eyes clouded with fear. Two small kits sat at her feet, casting each other worried looks.

"We don't have a choice!" Tallstar silenced her with a harsh tone. He gave the clan the signal to follow him, and when they remained seated he let out a loud yowl that rang through the clearing. "If we stay then we die! Do you really want to be responsible for your kits deaths, Whitetail?"

Everyone knew the Windclan leader had gone too far, but Whitetail said nothing to confront him about it. Instead she whispered hushed murmurs into her kits ears before standing upright. The rest of the clan followed suit. They looked unsure, several of them staring at their denmates in confusion.

Dark stormclouds gathered overhead and a fierce wind blew through the cluster of cats. A startled ripple of whispers broke through the clan, but they hurried after Tallstar as he pelted away. Their leader would not wait.

They carried on, away from the camp as thunder crackled overhead. It made the fur on Tallstar's back bristle, but he kept his pace. The rest of his clan followed behind him nervously, unsure if their leader was making the right descision or not. There were four clans in the forest, no more, no less. That's how Starclan intended it. But as of now Tallstar had no intentions of listening to Starclan. He was going to keep his clan safe, despite the consequences.

Thunder crackled over the sky again, and to their horror a bolt of lightning shot down from the heavens in the blink of an eye, igniting a nearby tree. The flames spread quickly, engulfing the leaves and making its way down the thick trunk.

"Run!" Tallstar yowled, doubling his speed. The majority of the Windclan cats kept up with him, but a few of the elders and queens were left behind. A couple of warriors urged the elders on while the queens grabbed their kits by the scruffs and raced ahead. The elders were out of breath, desperately trying to keep up with their clan before the fire could spread to them.

Onewhisker was one of the warriors who was still behind. He grabbed a kit in his jaws and ran ahead to the group of warriors. He passed it on to a Runningbrook, a gray she-cat who snatched the kit from his jaws, gave him a quick nod and kept pace with Tallstar.

Onewhisker returned to the elders and queens who were having difficulty rounding up the rest of their kits. He took another kit from Morningflowers jaws before racing back to the group of cats. He found it hard, as they refused to slow down and he had to pelt full speed to catch up with them. He handed it off to another warrior and returned to the small group that was struggling to keep up.

Come on, we don't have much time!" He meowed urgently to an old tom who was breathing heavily. Onewhisker felt the heat of the flames and turned to see the fire running along the grass just a couple of foxlengths behind them. He closed his eyes tight, knowing that he had failed.


	2. Chapter 1

**Ugh. This chapter was a headache. I finished the prologue, uploaded it, only to stop and think: "Wait... I have **_**no**_** idea where I'm going with this!" So I'm having to wing it and hope it turns out for the best. **

**For the record, I wrote half of this while I was running on no-sleep this Friday morning. I like to update at least one story every other Friday, so that might explain why this chapter is subpar. **

**Please give me reviews. **

**...**

_**Please. **_

The sunlight filtered into the warriors den with a particular beam of light falling over Firehearts eyes and waking him from his slumber. He cursed the sunlight that disturbed his sleep and got to his paws. He felt the ache of the day before still bothering him and he sighed inwardly. He never seemed to get as much sleep as he should.

_But it's understandable. _The reasonable side of his mind told him. He _was_ the deputy of Thunderclan after all, he didn't have time for sleep. The tired and aching side of his mind, who was still sour at being woken, politely but firmly asked the reasonable side to shut it's trap.

The orange warrior gazed around the clearing. Most of the cats were awake. Two kits tumbled and play-fought outside the Nursery with their mother watching them. Fireheart recognized this cat as Willowpelt and the two kits were Bramblekit and Tawnykit. Both of who were Tigerstar's kits. The thought made a shiver roll down his spine.

Willowpelt seemed to notice him looking because she meowed a quiet greeting. "Hello, Fireheart. You're up early." She commented, before quickly adding, "I hope they didn't disturb you?"

Fireheart shook his head, his whiskers twitching with amusement. The two bundles rolled over each other, each of them trying to pin the other down. "No, no. I'm just going to get a head start on the day, is all."

"Good for you. Starclan knows I can't get a bit of sleep to save my life with these two." Though Fireheart knew she was serious her tone was good humored and she cast the two a warm glance. They didn't notice however, as they were still caught up in their game.

"Do you know if Graystripe is awake yet?" Fireheart asked, returning his gaze to the queen. Her whiskers twitched and amusement gathered in her eyes. As soon as Fireheart was about to ask what was so funny he felt a rough nudge from his side.

"Yes, I do believe he's awake!" Came a voice from behind him. Fireheart regained his balance and spun around, purring at the sight of his old friend. "I've always managed to gain the upper hand on you when it came to stealth." The gray tom boasted, puffing out his chest and holding his head high.

"I don't see how. When you walk the whole forest hears you coming." Fireheart jabbed at his friend lightheartedly. He returned the nudge by butting his head into Graystripe's side, hardly doing anything to knock the large tom off balance.

"Are you calling me fat?" Graystripe asked over dramatically, obtaining a devastated look. They both shared a laugh. It felt just like their apprentice days to Fireheart. It was nice to have his old friend back, considering the fact that he had gone to live with Riverclan for a while to be with his kits.

"What did you want to see me about?" Graystripe asked, sitting back on his haunches and giving his fur a few quick licks. His fur was ungroomed and looked as if he had just woken.

"I was wondering if you would lead a border patrol. Riverclan has been giving us the most trouble, but the Shadowclan border needs to be checked anyway." Fireheart remembered the sickness that had spread throughout Shadowclan and had nearly killed them all. He knew not how they were fairing now, but he doubted they had recovered yet.

"I would love to. Who should I take?" When Fireheart shrugged his shoulders Graystripe looked around the camp. It was fairly busy, with warriors and apprentices coming and going."I guess I'll see if Whitestorm and his apprentice want to come."

"Good idea." Fireheart replied. It would also work as training for Brightpaw. Graystripe hurried off to see if Whitestorm would agree. Willowpelt had gone back to watching her kits.

Suddenly a flash of orange fur caught his eye from the Warriors Den. Sandstorm emerged, blinking into the daylight. Fireheart watched her, letting a sense of joy wash over him. His thoughts were broken though when a voice whispered, "You've taken a fancy to her, haven't you?"

Willowpelt, who up until now seemed completely oblivious to what Fireheart was doing now must have followed his gaze to the light colored she-cat. Fireheart instantly felt hot under his fur, turning his head in another direction quickly. "Who're you talking about?" He lamely asked, though there was no fooling Willowpelt. She cast him a strange glance and he dipped his head. "Yes."

"It is nothing to be ashamed of." Willowpelt sounded amused, which only heightened Fireheart's embarrassment. "You do a bad job of hiding it, though. Oh well. Go on over. Graystripe is busy now, and I'm going to go take a nap while I can." The queen glanced at her kits who were still wrestling in the leaves. She flicked her tail in a silent good bye and disappeared into the Nursery.

_Willowpelt is right. _He told himself. He had no one else to talk to, so why not? The orange warrior stood and padded over to where she was now sitting, adjusting her eyes to the bright light. He took a deep breath before meowing a greeting.

"Hi, Sandstorm." Fireheart greeted her with dip of his head. She returned the gesture and he continued. "Would you like to go hunting? The rest of the warriors are asleep, and Brackenfur already knows that he leads the evening patrol, so I have nothing else to do."

Sandstorm's eyes seemed to get brighter at his request. "Sure. I'm ready whenever you are." She rose from her paws, stretching her limbs and flicking her tail to the entrance for him to lead. Fireheart obliged, pelting out of the camp with newfound energy. He didn't even glance over his shoulder to see if she was coming. He was to eager to release this pent up excitement.

He heard Sandstorm behind him. They kicked up dirt and leaves as they ran. The scents of the forest flooded his senses. A mouse, yesterdays Thunderclan patrol, the stench of the Thunderpath in the far distance. He focused on that one mouse scent above everything else.

Fireheart dropped into his hunting crouch. He stalked forward, eyes darting around the undergrowth. He could hear it scuffling in the leaves a few foxlengths away, and as soon as his eyes fell upon it's gray pelt he leaped. He trapped it and killed it with a swift bite before it could even emit so much as a squeak.

"Good kill." Sandstorm mewed enthusiastically. He picked it up in his jaws, but just as he was about to take a step a pain erupted in the back of his head and his vision flickered. He fell forward, the mouse dropping from his jaw and a startled hiss from Sandstorm the last things he remembered.

-----

Fireheart was aware of his heart throbbing painfully in his chest and the dim pain in the back of his head. Even with his eyes closed it looked like he was staring into something bright. The orange colored tom blinked his eyes open, only to find himself staring up at a large, silver warrior. His pelt wasn't simply gray like his friend Graystripe, though. It shone with all the light from the stars in the sky.

The Starclan warrior dipped his head in greeting. The cat smelled of Thunderclan, but Fireheart didn't recognize him. As far as he knew this cat could be ancient, so it wasn't that surprising.

Fireheart glanced at his own pelt. He half expected it to be starry silver like this cats, but it was still a brilliant orange. It shone like it did when the sun was at the peak of the sky, and as a breeze ruffled it the movements reminded him of flames.

But his attention was distracted by a sudden mrrow of laughter from the cat in front of him. Fireheart cast him a strange look, but it did nothing to diminish the cats amusement. "You are not dead, young warrior." His voice was deep and low, and his eyes clouded over quickly, as if in deep thought.

Fireheart tried to find his voice, but before he could speak the warrior continued. "I'm here to give you a message that needs to be delivered to your clan leader. It is of the utmost importance."

There were a number of things that confused Fireheart. First, why was the starry warrior telling _him _this? Shouldn't he be delivering this directly to Bluestar? But before he could voice these concerns the warrior seemed to sense them and flicked his tail to signal Fireheart to keep quiet.

"You're leader has turned her back on us. If we told her she would not believe a word of it. But she trusts you, Fireheart, you're her deputy. If she hears this from you we might have a chance at getting through to her." Fireheart understood this easily. Ever since Tigerstar betrayed Thunderclan Bluestar was not herself, and she even blamed Starclan for their misfortune. Yes, this warrior was right, she would not listen to Starclan.

"Twolegs have been pushing farther into Windclan territory." The large tom stated quite bluntly. "About a moon ago Tallstar led his clan away from the territory. It is up to the rest of the clans to find them and bring them home." His eyes shone with fiery determination.

"But how are we supposed to find them?" Fireheart asked, cocking his head to the side. Starclan must expect a lot of cooperation from the clans to be sending them on a mission this large. He half wondered if any of this would work. What if Shadowclan and Riverclan were less willing to bring a rival clan back into the territory? _But they have to. _Fireheart thought with dismay. _There are supposed to be four clans in the forest. We can't fail. _

The tom dipped his head, acknowledging the question as an important inquiry. "If you wish to find them, all you have to do is retrace your steps." He made it sound as if it were the most obvious thing to do in the world, and it left Fireheart with something like annoyance washing through him. "Just retrace your steps, Rusty." The tom twitched his whiskers in amusement and without giving Fireheart any time to ponder the situation he vanished into the chilly air.

Fireheart felt his eyelids grow heavy and he lay his head down on his felt as if the earth were giving away from under him and he fell into the dark state of unconsciousness.

-----

Fireheart heard the rustling of leaves and a cats footsteps around him. He didn't know how long he had lay there with his eyes shut but it was long enough for him to tell that he was in Thunderclan, obviously the Medicine cats den from the smell of the herbs. The orange warrior took in a large breath, savoring the sweet and sharp aromas coming from the plants. But there was another scent, one he had just noticed.

He was surprised he didn't notice it before. A warmth against his side that kept the chills of leaf bare out of his pelt. He knew who it was without opening his eyes. Her smell was enough, and the rasp of her tongue as it ran over his ear.

"Starclan will always be with you. _I _will be with you." She murmured, her breath tickling the tufts of fur in his ear. Fireheart inhaled her sweet scent again, letting it linger in his lungs. He didn't open his eyes for fear her presence might disappear. He just savored the moments that he could spend next to her. It was almost as if it were real, and that they were actually laying there, in _her _den. As if nothing had happened, and she were still alive-

"Fireheart, are you awake?" The rough voice of Yellowfang rang in his ears. The second his mind acknowledged her presence Spottedleaf vanished. The warmth at his side was gone and the rasping of her tongue over his ear suddenly evaporated. Her warm scent left in his nostrils was the only thing left, and he savored it as long as he could.

"I know you're awake. I can see your tail twitching." Yellowfang muttered. Fireheart opened his eyes, half angry at the old cat for rousing him from his time with Spottedleaf. But he didn't blame her. She didn't know.

Fireheart saw her go back to tending to the herbs that were lined around the wall of the den. They were stacked in neat piles and she was busy sorting a stack of herbs into their correct locations. Fireheart groaned as he felt a burning in the back of his head and he shut his eyes, a shiver running down his spine.

"Sandstorm said a tree limb fell from the sky and hit you. The poor cat was so scared when she dragged you back to camp, I had to ask Bluestar to keep her busy on patrols so she wouldn't be here all day." A glint of amusement shimmered in the old Medicine Cats eyes before she went back to sorting herbs. Without looking over her shoulder she added, "She's a nice cat, I didn't want to tell her to bug off. But by Starclan I can't work with her asking me if you're going to be okay or if I am giving you the right herbs or if your nest is comfy enough!"

Fireheart couldn't help but purr. "My nest _is _a tad on the damp side." He joked, only recieving a glare from Yellowfang. "Oh hush. If you have a problem with it you can go fix the den roof yourself." She flicked her tail toward the roof and Fireheart noticed several cracks and holes where drops of water were leaking through.

"I'll have to get to that later." Fireheart mewed, half to himself. "Not anytime soon, you're not." Yellowfang countered. "You still have a lot of healing to do." But Fireheart shrugged off her words. His eyes were gazing out the entrance now. His eyes caught sight of Cloudpaw, his nephew who his kittypet sister had given him to bring back to Thunderclan. He was his sisters first born, and she had decided to let him grow up in the clan. It was a huge honor for Fireheart, and an even bigger worry. He would let nothing happen to this cat.

The snowy white apprentice was sharing a piece of freshkill with Brightpaw, Whitestorms apprentice. The two seemed to be friends, and Fireheart was glad that his nephew wasn't completely an outcast. If it hadn't been for Graystripe and Ravenpaw befriending Fireheart when he joined he would have had to endure that kind of loneliness. Just the thought of it made him sick and he rolled onto his side. Sandstorm must have been out on a patrol now, and he had no idea where Graystripe might be. Either way, he hoped they would visit him in the days to come.


	3. Chapter 2

**My username really defines me, doesn't it? The **_**only **_**time I can write well is at 5 AM or something when I should be sleeping. Inspiration strikes at the suckiest times, I just need to quit whining about it and write xD.**

**On a completely different topic, I've been awake for thirty one hours now. New personal best!**

**Oh! And if you're wondering why this story is rated T, you will find out in this chapter. From here on out it gets a little more... creepier? Eh, you define it. Also, tell me if you think the story gets a little rushed near the end. I'm trying to work on not doing that.**

_"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Highrock for a clan meeting!" _

The yowl woke Sagepaw from his sleep with a start. Hollyfur must have already gotten up because the only scents around him were those of herbs. The silver tabby had recently been apprenticed to Hollyfur, the Riverclan Medicine cat. He liked the idea of helping save wounded warriors, but he still longed to be in the Apprentices Den with his kin. It was lonely here, with the only company being the smell of herbs and the loud snoring of Hollyfur as she slept. Okay, maybe _some _things he could live without.

The young tom stretched his legs, his bones popping lightly. _Great, I already feel like an old cat. _His whiskers twitched and he made his way out of the den. Leopardstar was sitting on the Highrock, looking down at the quickly assembling cats. Sagepaw didn't know of any kits who needed to be apprenticed or anything of importance. Nor did anyone else, by the looks on their faces and how quickly the clan had assembled to hear this news.

There were hushed conversations going on around him, and so many voices that his mind hadn't even realized one was directed at him. "Sagepaw! Do you know anything?" He turned, seeing the soft blue eyes of Rainpaw staring widely at him. She took a seat beside him and began to wash her gray, almost blue fur. "I can't imagine what this could be about."

"Nor can I." Sagepaw replied, not bothering to groom his own. Maybe if Hollyfur saw how tired he looked she would give him a break. _As if. _A snickering doubt popped into his mind, reminding him of one of Hollyfurs favorite sayings. _A Medicine Cat can never rest. Even if we cure all the sickness and infection of our clan then we must embrace the time we have and prepare for a not so fortunate time. _Or something. In all honesty he couldn't recall paying much attention to her ramblings.

As the last of the cats joined the group in the clearing Leopardstar began. She wasted no time, and with a flick of her tail she spoke the words that sent the whole clan into shock. "Windclan is no more!" There were some triumphant yowls, but the majority of the cats remained silent. Leopardstar waited a moment to let it sink in before continuing. "Starclan sent me a dream. In this dream a leader long before our time told me that we must find Windclan and return them home. He mentioned complications if we failed to do so, some that may turn out for the worst for our survival-"

Leopardstar was cut off by yowls of protests and anger. "What right does this cat have to tell us what to do? If this so called leader truly cared for his clan he would embrace the chance for more territory for Riverclan!" Yowls of agreement rippled through the clan, and Leopardstar lashed her tail angrily from side to side. "Silence! You will all be glad to know then, that I declined his offer! I have our clan in mind, and with Leaf Bare approaching we need more prey!"

Sagepaw was utterly confused. Beside him he felt Rainpaw press her pelt into his to comfort the both of them. He tossed her a glance and they could tell what each other were thinking by the worry that reflected in their eyes. Was it the right choice to disobey Starclan? But neither of them spoke, for neither of them knew the answer.

"I will be sending patrols into their territory. Stonefur, Mistyfoot and Shadepelt will be on the first patrol. Me, Blackclaw and Rainpaw will take up the second patrol in the evening. I expect you to mark the territory and hunt there if you so please." The chosen cats got to their paws and gathered together, ready to leave at the leaders signal that the meeting was over.

"Make haste! We want to reach it before Shadowclan has a chance. As of this day the Windclan boundary is no more!" With that Leopardstar flicked her tail and jumped down from the Highrock while the first patrol sped away to the Windclan border.

Rainpaw disbanded with the rest of the cats, making her way toward Leopardstar. She must have had a question, and just as Sagepaw was going to find a nice spot to eavesdrop he heard Hollyfur behind him. "Come on, we can't just stand around camp all day. With new borders means new boundaries to protect. Which could end up in injuries, as you well know." Before Sagepaw could complain his mentor bounded away toward the Medicine Cat den. He reluctantly followed, wishing he knew what Rainpaws question was.

Sagepaw followed after his mentor, who was starting to sift through bundles of herbs. She met his eye as he came in and nodded toward the piles of herbs. "Help me organize these. While you're at it, we'll test your progress as a Medicine cat." A glint of amusement shimmered in her eyes when she saw his look of dismay. "I know you hate tests, but it helps in the long run."

Sagepaw didn't answer. He began to sort the herbs into piles while Hollyfur fired question after question at him. "What do we use Poppy Seeds for?"

Sagepaw rolled his eyes at this question. As if he didn't already know. It was something even non- Medicine cats knew. "They help cats sleep and soothe them if they are in shock." He explained as he took a pile of Borage Leaves and placed them in the correct pile.

"Chervil?" Hollyfur asked, hardly giving him time between questions. "The juice from the leaf can heal infected wounds." Hollyfur stopped sorting the herbs and cast him a glance. "And the root does...?" She pressed.

"Uhh..." Sagepaw bit his lip. He remembered going over this just the other day, how could he forget so quickly? "It helps a bellyache when it's chewed!" He finally yowled, earning a nod from his mentor.

"Comfrey?"

"Used to mend broken bones." The silver tabby replied without hesitation. He swiped his tongue over his paw and dabbed them on a few stray Poppy Seeds, moving them back into the tiny hole that was dug for them so they couldn't roll around.

"Say there is a fire. If a cat breathes in too much smoke, you want to use...?" Hollyfur stared at him intensely, giving him little time to think and making him panic. "You... You would want to get them some honey." He replied, half unsure of his answer. But Hollyfur nodded and went back to sorting her herbs.

"A kit has just swallowed a Death Berry. What do you do?" This time Hollyfur did not look up from the leaves, giving him more time to think under less pressure. It wasn't an easy thing, especially considering if it ever did happen there would be a great amount of shock coursing through his veins. Death Berrys a terrible thing, only used to put a cat out of its misery when the wound was considered unhealable. They were necessary, Sagepaw understood, but so awful at the same time.

"You would want to immediately get as much of the chewed berry from the kits mouth and then give the kit some Yarrow. It will make them throw up and expel the berry from them. Right...?" Hollyfur flicked her tail over his back and purred. "Yes. You have a good memory."

Sagepaw couldn't help but let a purr rumble deep in his chest. It was so rare that his mentor praised him. He suspected the reason she gave no praise was because she didn't want it to go to his head. If he was cocky he might mess up, and the lives of cats are not something that can afford to be messed up.

"If you want I can see if Leopardstar will let you go on the second patrol. It would be nice to have more herbs from Windclan." Hollyfur suggested. Sagepaw felt new energy surge through his body at the thought. Exploring Windclan territory and traveling with the leader! His purr grew louder and Hollyleaf twitched her whiskers with amusement.

Although Sagepaw had an even bigger reason for wanting to go. He would be traveling with Rainpaw too. She was his best friend, and he had been disappointed when he learned that their lives were so greatly different. Maybe for this one afternoon he could pretend that he was a warrior, capable of so many feats and feared by all the clans. He knew it sounded kit-like, but it was something he would cherish.

"Thanks, Hollyfur." The silver tabby purred. He went back to sorting the herbs. He couldn't resist asking the question, especially to the Medicine Cat herself. "Hollyfur... What do you think of Leopardstars decision to ignore the old leader from the dream?"

Hollyfur quit sorting the herbs and stared down at her paws. Sagepaw almost felt guilty for asking until she took a deep breath and looked directly at him. "I believe she has made a mistake, Sagepaw. I truly do." Without another word she went back to sorting the herbs. There was no idle chat like they usually made when working. The dream Leopardstar described seemed to play over and over in his mind. Was this really the right choice?

-----

"Patrol number two, meet me in the center of the camp and prepare to set off!" Leopardstar yowled. Hollyfur has recently taken Sagepaw out of camp to look for more herbs. They were now back in her den, sorting them into their correct piles. "I can take over from here. Go on." Hollyfur mewed, combining their piles and rapidly working.

"Thanks." The silver gray tom said one last time before racing outside. Hollyfur had discussed it with Leopardstar already and the leader had been glad to take him along. The clan could never have enough herbs with the new territory to defend.

He met Rainpaw and Leopardstar in the clearing. Blackclaw was still absent, but he noticed out of the corner of his eye the smokey black tom leaving the Warriors Den. As Sagepaw joined the patrol Rainpaw came up and brushed against him, almost knocking him over with her friendly greeting. Blackclaw joined the group and with a grunt of approval Leopardstar set off with the three cats behind her. They were going at a quick run, one that Sagepaw was not used to, so he was slightly trailing behind. Rainpaw slowed her pace to run beside him and he cast her a grateful nod.

They came to the Twoleg bridge that the cats crossed on the way to Fourtrees. Sagepaw had never been to a Gathering so he had never come this way. The thing was flimsy and it wobbled as they crossed it. He couldn't help but think that if one of the planks broke it would send him falling into the river far, far below. That would kill a cat, most likely. He could hear the water hissing and foaming below him and he quickened his pace. Rainpaw cast him a mischievous look as if she knew that the water frightened him, but lucky Leopardstar and Blackclaw didn't notice.

Once they cleared the bridge he let out a sigh of relief. The Gathering was almost not worth it if it meant having to cross that again. Leopardstar and the others took off at a sprint again and Sagepaw desperately tried to keep up. Rainpaw slowed down again to match her pace with his.

"The first patrol came back with news of the hills being burned. Probably Twolegs." Rainpaw scoffed, shaking her head. Sagepaw only nodded. She was right, he could smell the overpowering scents of ashes in the distance and it nearly made him want to turn back. But just as this thought entered his mind it disappeared when he reminded himself of his duty to his clan.

Leopardstar and Blackclaw were already climbing up the slope of a hill. Rainpaw and himself were trailing behind them, unsure of what they would find over the hill. But the gasps of the leader and warrior told them everything before they saw it. Sagepaw poked his head over the cliff and he the smell of ash overpowered even the strong Windclan scent that had been lingering in his nostrils.

"This will be no use to us!" Leopardstar spat angrily. She was right, though. The land was completely destroyed, leaving no tree or blade of grass untouched by the hungry tongue of the flames. Just as she was about to turn and leave Blackclaw spoke up. "It will grow back. We should at least mark it as ours." He suggested. Leopardstar turned and gave him a harsh look, her amber eyes glowing with frustration. But she simply flicked her tail and set off farther into what used to be Windclan territory.

As they walked they kicked up ash behind them, and the horrible smell of it was enough to make the fur along his spine prickle. It stuck to his paws and made him want to wash them, but the taste on his tongue would be more than bearable. He could wait until they found a stream. Rainpaw looked as if the same thoughts were going through her mind.

Finally they came upon the camp. It looked no different from the rest of the territory. It was simply ashes. The dens in the side of the mountain were still intact, and Leopardstar ordered everyone to check them. The cats split up and Sagepaw found himself heading toward a larger den.

Sagepaw let the scents of the den drift into his senses. He could pick up nothing over the burnt smell. There were tiny little claw marks on the walls so he guessed that this used to be the Nursery.

_Drip. Drip._

Sagepaw perked his ears, gazing around in confusion. Was that.. water? There was no water here. What could possibly be-

Sagepaw froze. He felt an icy chill roll down his spine and every fur on his pelt prickled. The dripping was coming from behind him, without a doubt. It took every ounce of courage to turn around, and when he did he almost yowled from fright.

Blood. A pool of blood blocked his way from the exit, and it was continually dripping from the roof of the den. With every drop the small puddle rippled, and Sagepaw stared at his reflection in it. He couldn't look away. Every muscle in his body was frozen stiff and even his voice wouldn't work or he would have yowled out in fear by now.

But someone else beat him to it. The horrified yowl of Blackclaw could be heard ringing through the camp. Sagepaws head shot up and in that one moment he found himself racing through the puddle of blood-which had gotten significantly bigger in the short amount of time he was there- and out into the camp. Rainpaw was racing toward the den Blackclaw had gone into, and he could see Leopardstars pelt just enter the den.

Sagepaw raced after them. His heart pounded in his chest and he feared the worst. What could have spooked Blackclaw this much? Was it something like what had happened to him?

Blackclaw was laying in the den, writhing on the ground. His face was distorted with pain. Leopardstar beckoned Sagepaw over with a flick of her tail. He obeyed and stepped to Blackclaws side.

"Help him!" Leopardstar hissed in his ear. Sagepaws eyes scanned over the dark tom. There appeared to be nothing wrong with him. Sagepaw panicked and felt his paws trembling. What could he do for this cat when he didn't know what was wrong with him?

Just as soon as it started it was over. Blackclaw lay still, his eyes wide and his side heaving as if every breath was a struggle. "Help him up!" Leopardstar got on one side of him and Rainpaw got on the other. Sagepaw fell in beside her, trying to help keep the tom balanced. They helped him out of the den and out of the ash filled camp.

The warrior took few steps, all of which were small, but eventually they came to the bridge. His eyes were glazed over and he collapsed onto the ground. Leopardstar took a seat farther away, and Sagepaw sat with Rainpaw.

"H-how did you get blood on you?" Rainpaw realized with a shocked mew. She stared at his paws in horror and only then did Sagepaw realize that there _was _blood on him. It coated his paws and halfway up his legs, and he shivered at the sight and feel of it. But he didn't reply. How could he explain what he had seen when he didn't even know himself?

"Leave." Blackclaw had gotten up from the ground. All of his previous agony appeared to be gone and his eyes were no longer clouded over. He unsheathed his claws and turned his attention directly to Leopardstar. "Leave this territory. I'll give you ten seconds." His voice was echoed and made Sagepaw cringe.

"You traitor!" Leopardstar hissed as she realized what he meant. She stood her ground and met his eyes. Hers burned with anger while his remained emotionless. This wasn't Blackclaw. This couldn't be the loyal warrior everyone admired.

"What is with you? You need to tell us what happened in that den-"

_Ten._

Rainpaw glanced at Sagepaw with a look of fear and dismay. Sagepaw hadn't a clue what they should do. But the two of them stood up and took a place beside Leopardstar. They wouldn't leave their leader to fight this by themselves.

_Nine._

The tom seemed to take no notice of the two apprentices. His deathly cold eyes were set on Leopardstar. His claws dug at the ground, pulling up the grass that had survived the fire.

_Eight._

"You have fought for Riverclan your whole life, Blackclaw! Fight whatever it is that is controlling you!" Leopardstar tried to persuade him. But he said nothing. Sagepaw noticed a hint of panic in his leaders voice, but he tried to tell himself that he had heard wrong.

_Seven._

"Are you listening, Starclan? Is this your idea of a punishment? Windclan is gone! This is Riverclan territory now!" Leopardstar yowled at the gray sky. She gazed around wildly, and it was just then that Sagepaw noticed what she saw. The faint outline of Starclan cats could be seen.

_Six._

But these were no Starclan warriors. They had scars and they had a blood red glow to them instead of the usual silvery glow. Their eyes gleamed with the urge to kill and they bared their teeth.

_Five._

Rainpaw pressed her pelt to Sagepaws. Both of the cats were in shock, and Leopardstar was whirling back and forth, hissing at the unknown warriors.

_Four._

Sagepaw looked behind them. The cats had appeared there, too. They were completely surrounded with the only way out being the edge of the cliff. Sagepaw could hear the water running fast down there. Even a Riverclan cat would be truly tested in those waters.

_Three._

"Sagepaw, we need to get out of here!" Rainpaw hissed in his ear. The cats were getting closer, eagerness making them tear at the grass. Their claws were long and bloody. Rainpaw took a couple of steps back, hissing at the strange warriors. Sagepaw was incapable of moving at this point. A mix of fear and loyalty to his leader keeping him from fleeing.

_Two._

Leopardstar was still yowling in fury. "You call yourselves Starclan warriors? You don't deserve that title!" She was outraged, and her eyes were wide with both fury and fear. Blackclaw spoke up, and Sagepaw now noticed that he had a faint blood red glow around him. "We are not Starclan. Starclan is no more."

_One._


	4. Chapter 3

**Okay, it's times like these that I need the help of you all. I'm going to do my best to not give any hints away at the plot, but I need your help with a name for the clan of dead cats featured in the last chapter. I've been pondering it for days, and I just can't think of anything. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It needs a name that is.. darker, for lack of a better word.**

**Please review. Or I might have to do another filler chapter like I did with Chapter two. -maniacal laughter-**

"I mean, she got mad at me just because I accidently put some Catmint in the Chervil pile!"

Ah, life stuck in the Medicine cat den with only oneself and a hyperactive little apprentice for company. Cinderpaw continued to nag about her mentor behind her back, all the while chewing leaves into a pulp.

"It wassh her fault for rushing me." The apprentice went on, her voice muffled by another large herb. Fireheart lay on his back, defeated, staring up at the roof of the den. When would this stop? This torture was far worse than the dull pain in the back of his head ever was or ever could be.

"Cinderpaw, I-"

"But no, she has the _nerve_ to get mad at me!" Cinderpaw went on, completely oblivious to his attempts at sleeping. When Cinderpaw was asleep it always seemed that Yellowfang was awake, and they would end up in a conversation. There was absolutely no time for him to sleep, while Yellowfang and Cinderpaw seemed to rotate keeping him awake.

"That must be terrible, but-"

Cinderpaw chewed another leaf, this time wrinkling her nose with distaste. "I tried to tell her all this, but she refushed to listen. She said something about having a headache and needing a break from my 'endless chattering.'" Cinderpaw rolled her eyes, spitting out the leaf. "You don't think I talk to much, do you?"

"Well-"

"No, no. I'm sure you don't. You know, you're a really great listener." She flicked her tail at his face and purred. "Am I really?" Fireheart replied sarcastically, but to his dismay she didn't seem to catch his tone.

"But then there was this one time Yellowfang misplaced the Poppy Seeds. But did I confront her about it? You can bet your tail I didn't..."

"Oh, Starclan help me." Fireheart murmured, rolling his eyes toward the sky outside. It was dark, and clouds lingered over the forest. A cold chill was in the air that promised snow, and lots of it by the looks of it. The camp was buzzing with activity with everyone preparing for the cold.

"What I wouldn't do to be able to hunt or go on a patrol." Fireheart thought out loud, obviously louder than he intended because Cinderpaw spoke up. "Oh! I forgot. Yellowfang told me to tell you that you could go whenever you feel like it." Cinderpaw nudged him roughly with a forepaw, making Fireheart roll over in surprise. "You're all better now."

"W-what?!" The Thunderclan deputy stared at her in shock, stuttering and tripping over his own tongue. "When did she tell you this?" And why hadn't she told him sooner?

"Oh, a couple of days ago." Cinderpaw replied, shrugging her shoulders as if it were nothing.

"Cinderpaw!" Fireheart scolded, leaping to his paws and making Cinderpaw take a few hasty steps back. He advanced on her, raising a paw and giving her a light bonk on the head. "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was not all angry. In fact there was a slight hint of amusement in there. It was just like Cinderpaw to hide this from him on purpose.

"Well, you are _such _a good listener. And Yellowfang appears to be avoiding me. I just wanted to spend some time with my favorite deputy!" Cinderpaws eyes were so pleading and her tail hung low in mock sadness.

Fireheart raised his paw again, only to bring it down over thin air. Cinderpaw had squeezed away beside him and was now by the entrance. "Hey! Don't take it out on me. You should go catch a border patrol or something. Don't you miss Graystripe and _Sandstorm?" _She said the pale ginger she-cats name with such emphasis that it made Fireheart feel hot in his fur.

But the little mischief maker could not leave it be after seeing Firehearts embarrassed reaction. "I'm sure she missed you." Cinderpaw gave him a small wink, but Fireheart only pushed past her out of the den, her mrowws of laughter the last thing he heard from her den.

_I'll get her later for that. _Fireheart promised himself, rolling his eyes before gazing around the clearing. Graystripe was poking around the fresh kill pile, so Fireheart decided to join him. He made sure his pawsteps were quick and light so he didn't alert his clanmate that he was there. When he was close enough he mewed loudly in the gray toms ear, "Found what you are looking for yet?"

Graystripe spun around, his whiskers twitching happily. "Glad to see that you're not in the Medicine cats den anymore." He purred. "But sadly I might have to take your place. I've got this bellyache-"

"Don't!" Fireheart mewed in such an alarmed tone that it made Graystripe jump and stare at him uneasily. Fireheart didn't want Graystripe to endure the torture of Cinderpaws never tiring chatter. "What I mean is... Just trust me on this one." The fiery colored warrior advised. Graystripe gave him a questioning glance, but he dropped the subject.

Fireheart scanned the clearing. There was Bluestar beside the Highrock nibbling on a mouse. Beside her Whitestorm was plucking the feathers from a bird, all the while whispering something in a hushed tone to the leader. He made a mental note to talk to her about his dream later. Dustpelt had just entered the camp with only a small squirrel and a bird to show for a long day of hunting. It was just then that Fireheart realized how quickly leaf bare was approaching.

But the clearing was lacking the one cat he had wanted to see the most. The pale ginger fur, and her sweet scent-

"Sandstorm is out hunting." Graystripe meowed. He had an amused look, and Fireheart let out a sigh. "Am I _that _easy to read?" First Willowpelt, then Cinderpaw, and now Graystripe had all guessed at his thoughts in the past few days.

"You make it so obvious." Graystripe purred, flicking his tail at Fireheart. "You get this really far off look, and then you stare her down from across the clearing." The gray warrior prodded Fireheart with his paw. "You really need to learn how to hide your emotions better."

"Take that back." Fireheart growled playfully, He raised up on his hind legs, ready to bring his weight down on Graystripe. Obviously he was holding back his full strength though, but he made sure he was using enough to flatten the warrior without completely crushing him.

"I swear to Starclan, Fireheart," Yellowfang padded into the clearing past the two toms, her voice non-chalant and mild. "If you get into a mock fight right after your recovery I will send you back to my den for a moon, with your only company being _that_." She flicked her tail toward the warriors den where Cinderpaw was eagerly chatting away at Dustpelt who looked less than thrilled to be the center of her attention

Fireheart just purred at her threat, but he lowered himself down onto four paws again. "Fine." Graystripe had risen to his paws, completely forgetting about getting himself something to eat. "You want to go hunting? Maybe we can meet up with Sandstorm." Fireheart just nodded eagerly, ready to finally be out of camp after days in the medicine cats den. He could tell Bluestar about the dream when they got back, preferably when there were no other cats around.

The two set off into the forest, all the while scenting the air for prey. Sandstorms stale scent was heading deeper into the forest toward the Shadowclan border. Fireheart also picked up Brackenfurs scent mingled with hers and guessed that the two had gone off hunting. Luckily it made them easier to track because as soon as they lost one scent they could pick up the other.

Graystripes ears twitched and Fireheart listened carefully to what his clanmate was so interested in. Fireheart heard a scuffled noise and a tiny squeak and Fireheart saw Graystripe drop into a hunters crouch. The gray warrior stalked forward, his pawsteps light as if he were gliding over the ground. Fireheart spotted the creature Graystripe was stalking. It was a plump mouse who was searching the leaves for any delicacies.

Graystripe wasted no time in taking advantage of the distracted mouse. He leaped forward and pinned it underneath his paws. But before he could deliver the killing blow it let out a loud shriek which made a bird that was perched on a tree above take flight. Graystripe killed it with a frustrated hiss. "Sorry." The screech had surely warned all the other prey in the area to stay clear. There would be no more hunting in this section of the forest, that was for sure.

"It's fine." Fireheart replied. Graystripe brought his kill with him. Which was a good idea, because Fireheart didn't want to make the trip back to gather only one piece of prey.

Fireheart let the scents around him flow into his slightly parted jaws. He scented Graystripe, for one, then the smell of Brackenfur and Sandstorms trail, then the mouse that hung from his friends jaws. As soon as he was about to declare that there was no prey he caught the scent of a vole in the distance. He flicked his tail, a sign for Graystripe to keep silent.

The fiery warrior hurried toward the smell, his mouth watering at the sight of the averaged sized prey. It too was scuffling around the dirt and leaves. _Even they must be preparing for Leaf-bare. _The thought crossed his mind. But he would have no pity clouding his thoughts. It was a vicious life in the forest, and if he didn't take the life of this creature then hunger might take the life of one of his clanmates.

Fireheart dropped into his hunting crouch. The fur on his belly brushing the ground he carefully put one paw in front of the other, his eyes never leaving his target. He fought to keep his stomach from rumbling as the scent of the vole lingered in his lungs. This was the thrill he had missed ever since he had been stuck in the Medicine cats den.

But a furious yowl in the distance made him and the vole start. The small rodent darted off into the undergrowth. Fireheart leaped a second late, missing the creature by less than a tails length. He felt his pelt prickle and he glared through the trees, determined to find what had made him lose his kill.

Graystripe came hurrying into the clearing, still carrying the mouse. But the same scent that had reached Fireheart must have reached him too, because his friend dropped the mouse in shock.

Blood.

Fireheart nodded at his friend, a signal for him to follow. The two raced off toward the sound of cats snarling and yowling in the distance. The trail was leading them to the Shadowclan border, and despite his lack of breath he could tell that this was where Sandstorm and Brackenfur had come.

They reached the Thunderpath and Fireheart burst into the clearing. Monsters roared on the Thunderpath, but the six cats who were caught in the heat of battle hardly paid it any attention.

Fireheart instantly recognized four Shadowclan cats who were formed in a tight circle around two Thunderclan cats. To the Thunderclan Deputys horror he saw Sandstorm and Brackenfur fighting back to back as the four Shadowclanners closed in on them.

Fireheart and Graystripe wasted no time. The two acted at the exact same time. Fireheart ran to the right while Graystripe took the left. The gray warrior ran full speed at the first cat he saw, ducking his head and ramming into the smaller cat with full strength, sending the Shadowclanner flying.

Fireheart took a different approach. Being a smaller and more lithe cat he targeted the biggest enemy he could see - which still wasn't much bigger than himself - and jumped on his back. He dug his claws in and his teeth met the black toms scruff. The older warrior screeched in pain and anger, desperately trying to throw Fireheart off.

"Hold still!" He heard another Shadowclanner hiss. A mere second after Fireheart felt claws raking along his flank and the shock made his grip loosen on the big black tom. The warrior used this opportunity and threw Fireheart from his back.

The Thunderclan deputy landed awkwardly on his feet, stumbling once or twice before completely regaining his balance. The dizziness from being thrown was setting in, and before he could do anything he saw a small black and white cat pelting toward him. The cat hardly looked more than an apprentice but in Firehearts shape he doubted he could dodge the oncoming blows. Just when the cat was a couple of tail lengths away a flash of ginger fur tackled the young cat and bowled him over into the dust.

Fireheart caught Sandstorms eye and nodded his thanks. She gave a quick nod back and then turned her attention to the Shadowclan cat who had now gotten to his paws and was preparing another attack. Fireheart knew Sandstorm would be able to handle this cat, so he turned his attention to the rest of the battle.

Brackenfur was battling a she-cat about his size. They were evenly matched and Fireheart could see no serious injuries on Brackenfur that would keep him from overcoming this fight. He scanned the clearing and saw Graystripe in a fight with the larger tom and an average sized cat. The big warrior was delivering powerful blows while the smaller more lithe cat was scoring his claws down Graystripes flank every time the bigger tom stopped attacking.

Fireheart let out a yowl of fury and charged at the smaller cat. He knocked the unsuspecting warrior over and raked his claws down the gray cats exposed belly. Blood welled from the wounds and the cat let out a shriek before rolling away from Firehearts onslaught. As fast as his new wounds would allow he pelted across the Thunderpath without even looking for oncoming monsters.

The Thunderclan deputy now focused all his strength on the cat that Graystripe battled. The tom was slightly larger than his friend and had the fell in beside his clanmate and helped repel the dangerous warrior.

Fireheart and Graystripes combined blows managed to land on the experienced warrior, sending him fleeing over the Thunderpath. Fireheart caught sight of the she-cat Brackenfur had been battling hurtling after him. The small black and white apprentice trailed after them, limping slightly due to a wound on his back leg.

Gazing around the clearing Fireheart was relieved to see that the worst looking injury was a scratch on Sandstorms flank. Blood was dripping from the wound and she gave it a few brisk licks to stop the bleeding for the time being.

"Good thing you two came when you did. Shadowclan don't fight fair." Brackenfur spoke up, his voice breathless. He had a scratch above his eye, but only a small trace of blood was visible and it didn't look very deep.

"What happened?" Graystripe inquired. His gaze flitted from Sandstorm to Brackenfur, seeming to inspect their injuries like Fireheart had done only moments before.

This time Sandstorm answered. "We caught Shadowclan hunting on our territory. They didn't catch anything though, being the lousy hunters they are." She spat. Graystripe purred with amusement and Brackenfur cast her a grateful look for letting him catch his breath before having to answer any more questions.

"I'm sure Bluestar would like to hear about this." Fireheart murmured. The other cats in the clearing nodded and they slowly began to make their way back to the camp. The cold air along with the blood that stained his paws and pelt made him shudder. How much more blood would be spilled before Shadowclan would rest?


	5. Chapter 4

**Meh, hardly found the time to write this chapter. I've just finished reading Long Shadows and Sunrise, and all I can say without giving anything away is: Wow. If you haven't read it, then **_**get it. **_

**Who's up for another filler chapter? Wait, don't hit that back button! I have a plan for every cat that I'm doing a POV for.**

**This is one of my worst chapters, I believe. I rushed some parts of it because I wanted to get it up over the weekend. I also may have exaggerated the evilness of Shadowclan and their leader... Oh well, that's just how I picture them. Next chapter will be better, I promise. **

"How could you have possibly failed?" Nightstar was pacing back and forth in front of four cats that were sitting with their heads bowed. Rage showed in his eyes, and the rest of Shadowclan sat around in a rough circle, waiting to see what Nightstar would do with them.

"Your job was simple. Mark some of Thunderclan territory. This was a task fit for the weakest apprentice, and you all failed!" Nightstar glared down at every one of them. His shoulders were tensed and he looked as if he wanted to maim each and every one of them.

_Don't get sucked into his taunts. _Rowanpaw remembered what her mentor had told her moons ago. Nightstar was just blowing off steam. _Just sit and take it. He'll run out of things to say. _But it seemed as if Nightstar would go on with his rants forever.

_"_And you!" A loud voice in her ear made Rowanpaw raise her head and involuntarily take a step backwards. "You used to look so promising. You're skill is slipping." Nightstar nudged her roughly with a paw, catching her off guard and almost knocking her off her paws.

_Ignore it. _The tortishell she-cat bowed her head again, staring at her paws. Nightstar was just trying to anger her. She glanced at her mentor out of the corner of her eye, seeing his worried look. As soon as he saw her looking at him he shook his head quickly, telling her to keep her cool.

"You will _never _become a good warrior at this rate. You're worthless." Nightstar spat. Rowanpaw raised her head so quickly that their noses almost collided painfully if Nightstar hadn't pulled back. She wasn't going to sit here and take this. It wasn't her fault! She was doing just fine until her clanmates had fled like cowards. "Say that again."

Her voice was cold and filled with hatred. She wanted nothing more than to sink her teeth into this mangy old furballs neck. Rowanpaw had lost all self control, and had made the first mistake of talking back to the Shadowclan leader. Several of the warriors were staring at her with horror in their eyes.

"Worthless." Nightstar hissed quietly in her ear. His tail lashed and his eyes were narrowed menacingly. But Rowanpaw took none of this into account.

Her claws unsheathed and in that moment she felt a powerful blow to her head. She stumbled back, hissing as the fresh pain of unsheathed claws lashed above her left eye. Blood was already starting to well from the slashes, but she would make sure that one cheap blow wasn't going to end this.

Nightstar had turned already, heading back to his former spot in front of all the cats. Rowanpaw snarled and leaped forward. In only two quick bounds she was behind Nightstar. She lashed out with her claws.

But Nightstar was a leader with many seasons of fighting experience. He must have heard her steps, however light they were, because he whirled around and ducked under her blow. His neck struck out like an Adder and time seemed to slow. Rowanpaw could feel his breath ruffling the fur on the back of her neck. She could almost feel his teeth sinking into her scruff. Obviously he just wanted to humiliate her by grabbing her scruff like she was a kit!

Rowanpaw twisted away in a heartbeat. She took advantage of the opening he had left when he tried to grab her scruff. Thinking quickly she used the momentum from twisting out of his grasp and came back at him full force. She rammed into his side, sending the Shadowclan leader stumbling.

There was nothing normal about this apprentice. Under her pretty tortishell fur her muscles rippled. She was agile and quick, which was a trait underestimated by most Shadowclanners, but at the same time she could deal enough damage to make a fully grown warrior turn and flee. Nightstar hadn't liked her cocky attitude from the beginning, and Rowanpaw knew that the leader had put off her warrior ceremony just for that reason.

But she wasted no time pondering these thoughts. While Nightstar was regaining his balance she bounded toward him. She was charging him at full speed, wasting no amount of energy she had stored in her body. This was it! She would prove to Nightstar that she was worthy of being a warrior!

But in an instant Nightstar seemed to recover. He didn't try to dodge her attack, but he simply let his body go limp and he fell into a crouch. As his belly hit the ground Rowanpaw was already less than a tail length away. She stripped over him and just as she was above him Nightstar shot up, raising to full height.

Rowanpaw was thrown even further, doing some sort of flip in the air and landing with her legs outstretched in every different direction. The blood from her wound was flowing into her eye, making it burn. She didn't bother getting up. Why make herself look at all the faces of her clanmates?

She felt a heavy weight on her back as Nightstar rested his paw on top of her to add insult to injury. Instead of being angered it only added to her embarrassment at being made a fool of in front of the whole clan. "Had enough, love?" He hissed in her ear, his voice laced with mockery.

The tortishell she-cat made no effort to reply. Instead she tried to stand, only to be pushed back into the dirt by the leaders powerful forepaw. "Use your head next time. Fighting has more to do than just having a strong and agile body." With that he stalked away, flicking his tail to signal the cats to disperse.

Rowanpaw tried to stand again, only this time it were her legs screaming at her to give them a rest. Right as she felt she was going to collapse Whitethroat was at her side, letting her lean on his shoulder. "I'm here." He murmured soothingly. Normally she would have snapped at her mentor for talking to her like a kit, but as of now she hadn't the strength.

"Let's get you to the medicine cat." He mewed in her ear. Whitethroat led her through the throng of cats who were staring at her as if they still couldn't believe she had come out of a fight with Nightstar alive. But even they must have known that he wasn't aiming to kill her. If he had her injuries would be another story entirely.

Runningnose was waiting for her, apparently. He had cobwebs and poppy seeds already at his paws and he wore a look of sorrow. She knew Runningnose well, and she knew he wasn't a cat who was very eager about fighting. _Especially when it's between the clan. _The thought ran through her head.

Runningnose pushed the herbs toward her, the solemn look still on his face. She avoided his eyes completely, instead focusing on the herbs. She licked up the poppy seeds and lay down as Runningnose started to apply the cobwebs to the gash above her eye. It was stinging lightly, but quickly he had the cobwebs on and he flicked his tail toward the nests.

Rowanpaw found herself a nest in the back without complaint. She lay down in the soft moss and let her head slowly fall. The tip of her long tail curled over her nose and she closed her eyes. But the moment she had found comfort and was about to drift into sleep Runningnose spoke.

"You'd better not try anything like that again. Nightstar could have easily killed you." His voice was sharp, but it held a hint of care in it. _But I'm a part of Shadowclan. Of course he cares for all the cats. _Or was it more than that?

"I'll try." Was all that Rowanpaw mewed. Thoughts and questions sprang into her mind, so many that she had trouble deciding which ones to voice first. "Runningnose, did you know my parents?" The medicine cat seemed to freeze as the inquiry met his ears. Rowanpaw knew the story. Her parents were loners who left her outside the Shadowclan camp. But Runningnose was the cat who had found her, so maybe he knew something that no one else did.

"Your mother and father were simply loners. I'd met your mother before. She was a fine cat." Runningnose was staring blankly at the pile of herbs in front of him. Rowanpaw kept her mouth shut, waiting for him to continue, but he never did.

"Were you and her close?" Rowanpaw asked, casually licking a forepaw. This time she would get answers. Not the same old things that she had been told repeatedly.

"Me? No. She was a _Loner_, Rowanpaw." The medicine cat spoke these words obviously harsher than he intended, because he dipped his head in apology. He went back to sorting the herbs in front of him at a more rapid pace now, avoiding her eyes. _He's not telling me something. _Came the suspicious thought in the back of her mind.

"Tell me about her." Rowanpaw provoked. She knew that Runningnose would have preferred to drop the subject, but she wanted answers.

"She was a tortishell, like you. She had a fiery temper, too." Rowanpaw saw his whiskers twitch with amusement before he added, "In a nutshell you remind me of your mother in more ways than one."

"So you _did _know her." Rowanpaw couldn't help but prod further into the past. Apparently further than she had been welcome, because Runningnose gave her a hard look. "More or less. But you need to sleep."

"Less or more?"

"Good night, Rowanpaw." Runningnose replied more firmly, amusement thick in his voice. Rowanpaw gave in to the sleep that was tugging at her aching paws. It was still day outside, but she knew she would have no trouble sleeping through the rest of the day and the night.

-----

"'Ey, get up."

Rowanpaw felt a paw prod the side of her head, and when she didn't answer the voice spoke louder. "Rowanpaw, training, come on." She recognized it as Whitethroat, but still she made no attempt at getting up. Instead she lay her tail over her ears and muttered a quiet, "Not now."

Whitethroat let out an exasperated sigh. "Rowanpaw, you have to learn some discipline. Now get up or I'll tell Nightstar to delay your warrior ceremony _even further._" Rowanpaw could tell he was serious. She bit back a string of curses that were sitting on the edge of her tongue and grudgingly got to her paws. "What are we doing today?"

Whitethroat was already heading for the exit when he called over his shoulder, "Battle training. But of a different kind." A different kind? _What in Starclan is that supposed to mean? _But Rowanpaw took no time to sort this out. She removed the cobweb from the wound above her eye and hurried after her mentor.

"If you're still sore from yesterday we can work on your hunting crouch." Instantly a flash of dread filled Rowanpaw from her nose to the tip of her tail. The last thing she wanted to do was work on hunting right when there was so much tension between the clans. "No, no. I'll be fine." She replied almost to quickly, earning a confused look from Whitethroat.

Once a clearing came into view Whitethroat stopped. The ground was littered with leaves, making it easy to slide. "This will have to do." Whitethroat murmured, making his way to the other side of the clearing. "Okay, this time I want you to focus less on the strength behind your attacks and more on the attacks themselves. Try to think of different ways to use them." Whitethroat flicked his tail, signaling that he was ready.

As soon as he signaled for the battle to begin Rowanpaw sprang to life, clearing the gap between the two cats in a few bounds. She fought to keep her claws in as the rush of battling flooded through her veins. She aimed a blow at Whitethroats head but he ducked under it easily. Before he could retaliate she jumped backward, leaving her mentor clawing at thin air.

This time Whitethroat was on the attack. He took a mighty paw and brought it straight down. Rowanpaw had to stifle a purr at the amateur attempt and she rolled to her left. But she had been quick to doubt her mentors abilities, because as soon as she regained her balance a second paw met her flank. She had rolled right into his trap!

She knew good and well that if this had been a real fight she would have a bad wound to remember it by. The tortishell apprentice tried to put some distance between her and Whitethroat. But the black and white tom was having none of that. He advanced, this time aiming a blow at her paws. Without having the time or balance to retreat she tripped, landing face first into a larger pile of leaves.

She could hear Whitethroat trying hard not to purr with amusement, but he was losing that battle. "This is what I mean by focusing on your attacks. You have to be ready for any attack, and know the correct counter attack for it. In other words, think before you charge blindly at your opponent." Rowanpaw took these words and studied them carefully as she picked herself up from the ground, shaking leaves off of her pelt.

Whitethroat put some distance between them, keeping his eyes on her for any sign of an attack. Rowanpaw only took a moment to decide how she was going to attack. With a flick of her tail she sprinted toward him, head low and tail streaming out behind her. She saw her mentor raise up onto his back legs, ready to bring his weight crashing down on top of her.

When Rowanpaw was less than a tail length away she skidded to her right. Whitethroat had aimed right where she had been less than a second ago, and without giving him a chance to turn and attack she aimed a well placed counter attack at his side before scrambling back.

"Perfect!" He praised, turning to face her. Rowanpaw couldn't help but purr lightly, even though it was just a simple maneuver. "But," Whitethroat meowed, his eyes gleaming. "You have to be ready for anything!" With this he lunged at her, paws outstretched.

With a jerk Rowanpaw managed to stumble out of the way, leaving her open for an attack. Whitethroat took the advantage he had and swiped his paw down her flank before she had a chance to back away. With new found determination to get back at him she charged, planning to slide behind him and leap on his back. But Whitethroat had adapted to this strategy, because as soon as she began to slide he brought down a massive paw and pinned her to the earth.

"The same trick won't work twice." Her mentor reminded, removing his paw. "Do you want to work on hunting now? I can see you're still worn out from your fight yesterday." He prodded her heaving flanks and sighed. He obviously disapproved of battle between her and the clan leader as much as any other cat, but he held his tongue.

"Yeah, let's work on hunting." With that they headed deeper into the forest, where prey was more plentiful. Rowanpaw couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be a good warrior. Her body was practically built for fighting. She was more muscled and lithe than some of the warriors, even. _I just lack the experience. _


End file.
